1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to remotely actuated vehicle seats.
2. Background Art
Latches are frequently used to secure a vehicle seat back in a particular orientation, such as an upright position, with respect to a seat bottom. When the latch is released, the seat back is free to rotate with respect to the seat bottom. In other applications, the seat back and the seat bottom may move with respect to one another in ways other than rotation, such as translation. Latches may be used to restrict this motion as well.
Actuators are devices that can trigger the operation of an apparatus. For instance, an actuator may be used to release a latch. Some actuators may be remotely triggered and, if coupled to a latch, may permit an operator to release the latch from a distance. When an actuator engages a latch on a vehicle seat, the actuator can trigger the motion of the seat. If the actuator is configured for remote operation, then the actuator can be triggered to release the latch and set the vehicle seat in motion from a distance. This is advantageous because it permits an operator to remotely fold, store or otherwise reconfigure seats inside a vehicle. For instance, an operator approaching the vehicle with arms full of cargo need only press a button, either on a remote control or mounted to a pillar and the seats can be reconfigured to receive the cargo.
Existing remotely actuated actuators require the use of relatively large, complicated motors that are bulky and that use a substantial amount of space. Reducing the size and complication of remotely operated triggering mechanisms could provide substantial space, weight and cost savings in the manufacture of a reconfigurable seat and, in particular, vehicle seats. These and other problems are addressed by the present invention.